There seems to be no doubt at all that Torontonians are very pleased that Doug Ford did not defeat John Tory for mayor of Toronto eight years ago. Four years ago, the city was collectively pleased to re-elect John Tory as mayor. In fact, he won in every one of the city’s 25 wards. I am sure that most voters are pleased to see that he has agreed to run for re-election this year.
I mention this by way of suggesting that Doug Ford is no John Tory. Ford is also not even a progressive conservative. He might call himself a conservative but he sure seems unfamiliar with that brand of politician. He seems more like Donald Trump, who did little to enhance America’s reputation when he spent four years as president of that country.
Some reporters refer to Mr. Ford as a populist. Populism, as a political theory, is based on separating the political parties’ political ends from the will of the people. The closest we have seen to populism in Canada was the foolish attempt earlier this year of a bunch of truckers to disrupt and replace our current federal government.
If anything, Mr. Ford has shown disturbing signs of megalomania. This is a person obsessed with power and wealth and who likes to promote grand schemes. Practically on day-one of becoming premier in Ontario, he stopped the election of an enlarged Toronto city council. He was getting even with some of the enemies he made during his days on city council.
Doug Ford did not get his political training from his father. His father was a conservative who served one term at Queen’s Park on the back benches of the Mike Harris government.
Doug Ford Junior got his training from his younger brother Rob. Rob spent 10 years as councillor for Ward 2 in Etobicoke. When he ran for mayor in 2010, he asked his older brother Doug to run for his council seat. They both won and that was the beginning of Ford Nation—in their mother’s backyard. The younger brother’s penchant for crack cocaine made for an interesting term as mayor. He died of cancer before Doug Ford ran for mayor of Toronto and lost to John Tory.
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Copyright 2022 © Peter Lowry
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